Magnetized crane rail trough anticontaminant trough

ABSTRACT

A trough capable of collecting both magnetic and non-magnetic particles and subsequently confining, at the very least, magnetic particles that fall onto said trough from a track rail and wheel assembly or other particle source. The trough is linear in shape, has a magnetized side and is placed parallel, adjacent and partially beneath the rolling surface of the rail.

- [75] Inventor:

United States Patent [191 Allen MAGNETIZED CRANE RAIL TROUGH ANTI-CONTAMINANT TROUGH Maurice R. Allen, Ghent, NY. [73] Assignee: General Electric Company [22] Filed: July 23, 1973 [2]] Appl. No.: 381,703

[52] US. Cl 104/1 R, 104/94, 104/95, 104/133, 238/150 [51] Int. Cl B6lb 29/02 [58] Field of Search 104/1 R, 133, 94, 95; 105/154, 155; 198/229; 238/150 [56] I References Cited UNlTED STATES PATENTS 1,846,154 2/1932 Skillman 104/133 m1 3,820,466 June 28, 1974 2,073,131 3/1937 Webb 104/94 Primary Examiner-Lloyd L King Attorney, Agent, or Firm-John J. Kelleher; Francis X. Doyle [57] ABSTRACT A trough capable of collectingboth magnetic and non-magnetic particles and subsequently confining, at the very least, magnetic particles that fall onto said trough from a track rail and wheel assembly or other particle source. The trough is linear in shape, has a magnetized side and is placed parallel, adjacent and partially beneath the rolling surl ace of the rail.

' 5 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures MAGNETIZED CRANE RAIL TROUGH :ANT rC NTA JNA T, RQUWG BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to rail assemblies and particularly to trough means for collecting both' magnetic and non-magnetic contaminants falling from track rails and from rolling loads supported by such rails.

Conveyor systems of various types have long been used for purposes of material handling. In one type of system the conveyed load rests on a metal wheel assembly that in turn rests on top of a rail system having one or more support rails. In another type of system having a similar track and wheel arrangement the load is suspended from the rail mounted wheel assembly.

Contamination of work areas beneath or of materials suspended from a conveyor system by particles in general and magnetic particles in particular is of special concern to users of such systems. In studying the source of magnetic particles, it was found that overhead cranes used in the manufacture of heavy apparatus, such as electrical power transformers, produce magnetic particles at the interface of the crane wheels and rails due to shearing of the wheel and rail metals. These particles being very light easily become airborne and work their way off the rails and wheels falling onto articles being manufactured below. This metallic contamination is very undesirable, especially if the articles being manufactured are electrical in nature as significant changes in their electrical characteristics can result.

In the past one technique used to deal with this problem was to utilize crane mounted magnetic sweepers such as those in US. Pat. No. 3,401,365 to Grader et al. and in US. Pat. No. 3,249,21 1 to Gray. These magnetic sweepers utilize both permanent magnets and electromagnets placed in close proximity to the rolling surface of the track rail. Each of these arrangements has the disadvantage of not having the capability of collecting metal particles as soon as the particles are created. In actual practice a finite amount of time must pass before the magnetic sweeper moves into the con taminated rail area to perform the required sweeping function. During this period of time the magnetic particle can fall onto any work areas beneath the track rails. Additionally, in Grader et al. power is consumed by the electromagnetic sweeper during the entire time it is energized whether or not magnetic particles are actually being collected. Another technique that is old in the prior art is the use of linear troughs placed adjacent track rails for the purpose of collecting nonmagnetic particles falling from loads supported by such rails. US. Pat. No. 1,846,154 to Skillman is representative of such an arrangement. Although this arrangement is an effective means for initially collecting both magnetic and nonmagnetic particles both of these types of particles, as discussedabove, can become airborne, eventually contaminating any work areas beneath the track rail and wheel assembly.

In order to avoid or greatly reduce the effects of these and other disadvantages, it would be desirable to provide apparatus for preventing magnetic particles generated by track rails and wheels rolling thereon from again becoming airborne once they have been collected, which operates continuously whether or not the contaminant creating crane is operating, which 'consumes no power while performing the magnetic particle collecting function, and which has a relatively low initial cost.

Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved trough for collecting both magnetic and nonmagnetic particles and containing the magnetic particles that fall on said trough. I

Another object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved trough for collecting and containing metal particle contaminants created when metal wheels roll on track rails which operate continuously whether or not a crane mounted on said metal wheels is operating. I

A further object of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for collecting and containing magnetic particle contaminants, created when metal wheels roll on track rails which consumes no power while performing the magnetic particle collecting function.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide new and improved apparatus for collecting and containing magnetic particle contaminants created when metal wheels roll on track rails which has a relatively low initial cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A trough has been devised capable of confining magnetic particles that have'fallen onto said trough from a track rail and wheel assembly. The trough is linear in shape, has a magnetized side and is placed parallel, adjacent and partially beneath the rolling surface of the rail. Initially both magnetic and nonmagnetic particles are collected by the trough, generally because of its trough-like shape and the force of gravity acting on these particles. However, if subsequent to this initial collecting process any forces are imparted to these particles in general, only those particles that are not magnetized will be able to move off the trough and down onto work areas that might be below the track rail and wheel assembly. The magnetic particles will be confined to the trough due to the magnetic force of attraction emanating from the magnetized portion of the trough. The trough will store both magnetic and nonmagnetic particles until such time as the trough can be cleaned by vacuum or other cleaning means.

The invention which is sought to be protected will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the claims appendedthereto. However, it is believed that this invention and the manner in which its objects and advantages are obtained, aswell as other objects and advantages thereof, will be more readily understood by reference to the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof particularly when considered in light of the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWING FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a track rail and load supporting wheel assembly supported by a support present invention.

F1643 is a perspective view of the L-shaped wall of the present invention indicating that many sections of various shapes can be removed from said wall, if necessary, in order to install same.

FIG. 4 is an alternate embodiment showing a trough arrangement of the present invention on a track rail and load supporting wheel assembly of the type having a load suspended from said wheel assembly.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS First Embodiment I have been placed on both sides of track rail 14 parallel to, adjacent and partially beneath the rolling surface 15 of track rail 14. A cross section of said L-shaped walls 20, is depicted in FIG. 2. One of the outer surfaces 22, 22' of L-shaped walls 20, 20' rest on the generally horizontal portion 16 of support beam 18 and the remaining outer surfaces 24, 24 extend upward in a generally vertical direction making an angle of approximately 90 with the generally horizontally positioned outer surface 22, 22 of L-shaped walls 20, 20. These L-shaped walls 20, 20' are arranged such that troughs 25, 25 are formed on both sides of track rail 14 by the combination comprising L-shaped walls 20, 20 the generally horizontal portion 16 of support beam 18, and track rail 14. This trough arrangement 25, 25 will collect, and the magnetized L-shaped trough sides will contain the magnetic particles created by shear forces present at the interface 26 of wheel 12 and track rail 14 when wheel 12 rolls on track rail 14. Other nonmag netic types of particles will also be collected by this trough arrangement; however they will not be confined by the magnetic forces emanating from L-shaped trough walls 20, 20. y

In. these preferred embodiments L-shaped walls 20, 20' are made of B. F. Goodrichs koroseal compound No. 929 which is a composition of barium ferrite and synthetic rubber binder. The L-shaped design of walls 20, 20 is produced by the extrusion of the barium ferrite and synthetic rubber composition. After the L- shaped wall has been formed it is subjected to a magnetic field for the purpose of magnetizing same. The wall portion of troughs 25, 25 may take any number of different shapes and may be fabricated from any number of magnetizable materials. However, the main feature of the invention here disclosed is the magnetized wall portion of a particle collecting and containing trough.

In the preferred embodiments a composition of barium ferrite and synthetic rubber was chosen as the-fabricating material due to its low cost, ease with which it can be formed and the fact that it is easily cut for installation purposes. FIG. 3 shows the L-shaped wall portion of the present invention with various shaped sections removed as an example of the type of cuts that can be made, if necessary, in the L-shaped wall member in order to fit same to a particular application. The L-shaped wall design was chosen because it is best suited to the solution of the magnetic contamination problems created by the track rail and wheel assemblies depicted in FIGS. 1 and 4.

L-shaped walls 20, 20' can be quickly and rigidly bolted to support beam 18 by the force of an exploding 4 charge in a gun-like tool (not shown) impinging on bolts 27, 27 said bolts being forced through the horizontal surfaces 22, 22 of L-shaped walls 20, 20' and into support beam 18. These bolts are located approximately every two feet, on center, along the entire length of L-shaped trough walls 20, 20'.

An alternate method of mounting the L-shaped wall 20, 20 to support beam 18 would be to drill tap holes, having the same spacing as the previously described bolting arrangement, through both the L-shaped walls 20, 20' and support beam 18 and then insert machine bolts of appropriate size into these tapped holes until theL-shaped walls 20, 20 positioned as before, are held firmly against support beam 18.

Second Embodiment Referring now to FIG. 4, load 29 is shown suspended from wheel assembly 31, 31'. Wheels 30, 30 of wheel assembly 31, 31 rest on monorail 32, and monorail 32 in turn is supported by overhead support means (not shown). Monorail 32 is of I-beam cross section with wheels 30, 30' resting on'the upper surface 34, 34' of the lower horizontal portion of monorail 32. L-shaped walls 36, 36 having inner surfaces 38,-38 at approximately right angles to inner surfaces 40, 40' respectively, have inner surfaces 38, 38' placed against the lower surface 42 of the lower horizontal portion of monorail32 which places the remaining generally orthogonal surfaces 40, 40' of L-shaped walls 36, 36 in a generally vertical position. L-shaped walls 36, 36' are then attached to monorail 32 by either of the methods suggested in the first embodiment for attaching L- shaped walls 20, 20' to support beam 18. With this arrangement troughs 43, 43' are formed around the interfaces 44, 44' of wheels 30, 30 and monorail 32, by the surfaces comprising the inner vertical surfaces 40, 40' of the L-shaped walls 36,36 the upper surfaces 34, 34'

of the lower horizontal portion of monorail 32 and the vertical surfaces 46, 46' of monorail 32. As in the first embodiment, when wheels 30, 30' roll on monorail 32 magnetic particles are generated at the interfaces 44, 44 of wheels 30, 30' and monorail 32 by shear forces present at said interface.

GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS In both embodiments when particles in general fall into troughs 25, 25' and 43, 43' due to air turbulence, vibration, etc. they will initially be confined by the force of gravity. However, if the gravitational forces are neutralized by air turbulence, vibration, etc. forces, the magnetic particles, at least, will be attracted to a magnetized wall as they move within the magnetic influence of said magnetized wall and are thus prevented from falling on work areas below. Contaminants would remain in the trough until periodically cleaned by a vacuum or other cleaning means.

The size and shape of the wall portion of the contaminant collecting trough is determined by the particular contaminant creating apparatus. The wall portion must be tall enough and have an appropriate shape to both trap and contain the contaminating particles yet not interfere with the apparatus that creates these contaminants.

It will'be apparent to those skilled in the art from-the foregoing descriptions of the invention that various improvements and modifications can be made in it without departing from the true scope of the invention. Ac-

cordingly, it is my intention to encompass within the scope of the appended claims the true limits and spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

l. A rolling load supporting rail assembly of the type having a rail attached to a support member;

with a linear trough mounted in a fixed parallel relation adjacent the rolling surface of the rail, said trough having a bottom and a wall, the bottom being below the rolling surface of the rail for collecting contaminants falling from the rail and loads supported thereby, wherein the improvement comprises: that portions of the wall are magnetized, said portions extending along the entire length of said wall in the direction of the rolling surface of the rail. 2. A rail assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall and a portion of said bottom are fabricated as a single magnetized structure of L-shape cross-section.

, 3. An invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said L- shaped structure is made of barium ferrite and synthetic rubber binder, said structure being extruded into said L-shape.

4. An invention as defined in claim 3 wherein one of the surfaces of said L-shaped structure is attached to a generally horizontal bottom portion of said linear trough in a horizontal attitude without interfering with the track rail or wheel rolling thereon such that another surface intersecting the first mentioned surface of the L-shaped structure extends upward from said first mentioned surface.

5. An invention as described in claim 4 wherein said other intersecting surface extends upward up from the generally horizontally positioned surface of said L- shaped structure such that said other intersecting surface makes a angle with respect to said horizontally positioned surface. 

1. A rolling load supporting rail assembly of the type having a rail attached to a support member; with a linear trough mounted in a fixed parallel relation adjacent the rolling surface of the rail, said trough having a bottom and a wall, the bottom being below the rolling surface of the rail for collecting contaminants falling from the rail and loads supported thereby, wherein the improvement comprises: that portions of the wall are magnetized, said portions extending along the entire length of said wall in the direction of the rolling surface of the rail.
 2. A rail assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said wall and a portion of said bottom are fabricated as a single magnetized structure of L-shape cross-section.
 3. An invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said L-shaped structure is made of barium ferrite and synthetic rubber binder, said structure being extruded into said L-shape.
 4. An invention as defined in claim 3 wherein one of the surfaces of said L-shaped structure is attached to a generally horizontal bottom portion of said linear trough in a horizontal attitude without interfering with the track rail or wheel rolling thereon such that another surface intersecting the first mentioned surface of the L-shaped structure extends upward from said first mentioned surface.
 5. An invention as described in claim 4 wherein said other intersecting surface extends upward up from the generally horizontally Positioned surface of said L-shaped structure such that said other intersecting surface makes a 90* angle with respect to said horizontally positioned surface. 